Revenue department would organise a Pattayamela in all 63 taluks in April with the sole aim of providing land for all landless people in the State, said Revenue Minister, K.P.Rajendran.
The Minister was inaugurating the district-level Pattayamela at the Collectorate premises here on Thursday.
He said the Left Democratic Front Government that assumed power in 2006 has distributed title deeds (patta) to as many as one lakh families, and the government was committed to provide land to all landless families in a time-bound fashion.
The Supreme Court has granted permission to provide patta to those who have been residing in the hilly tracts prior to January 1, 1977.
Encroachments in the government land in all districts would be cleared and encroachers as well as those officials who were found guilty of abetting the encroachment in different parts of the State would be sternly dealt with, he said.
The Minister said distribution of land among the landless people at Chengara would begin soon as per the agreement reached between the government and the Chengara agitation leaders. As many as 1495 families would be benefited with the Chengara package and the land survey was fast progressing in 10 districts, he added.
Mr Rajendran called upon the Revenue staff in Pathanamthitta to act diligently to identify land for distribution among the landless people in a time-bound manner. He said as many as 8000 application for patta have been pending for clearance in Ranni taluk alone.
He said the Government would set up a Land Bank for identifying land for distribution among the landless people. The proposed Land Bank would be inaugurated at a function to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on February 17.
Wetland conservation
The Minister said the Kerala paddy fields and Wetlands Protection Act, 2008, aimed at food security would be implemented in letter and spirit.
He said all encroachments in the Government land, including those in Munnar, would be cleared.
573 pattas distributed
The Minister has also distributed as many as 573 patta for a total of 94.01.119 ha on the occasion. A total of 4.17.18 ha of land have been distributed for 151 poromboke pattas, 0.89.41 ha for 29 excess land pattas, 2.42.91 ha for 20 forest land pattas, 0.11.77 ha for five Lakshamveedu pattas, 1.06.03 ha for 14 land tribunal pattas have been distributed at the Pattayamela, besides 354 possession certificates.
District Panchayat president, A.Santhakumari, presided the meeting. Adoor Prakash, Raju Abraham, Joseph M.Puthussery, K.K.Shaju, all MLAs, S.Lalithambika, District Collector, A.P.Jayan, District Panchayat vice-president, Zakir Hussein, municipal chairman and leaders of various political parties also spoke.
